Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1887-07-19
From Harper's Ferry.
-HAKrEn's FERRY, W. VA, /
July 10, 1887. {
Editor of tie Spirit Of Jefferson:

July 10, 1851.
Editor of the Spirit Of Jefferson:
If you will allow me; small amount
of space in your valuable paper, i
would like to plant newspaper
g bomb-shell.' from our little port on
the Potomac; knowing that when it
explodes at least some of the frag-
ments of the shell will be very apt to
hit their mark. 1t is true we are-very
seldom represented by a letter in our
county papers, but when there is a
voice that is able enough to shout,
why not do so everybody can hear it !?
Every since the first dynamite blast
woke up the snakes and frogs in our
community, I have with undaunted
interest watched the progress of. this
immense undertaking, that these fear
less and energetic men from the North
have commenced to lay the founda-
lions for the biggest paper and pulp
mills in the world. When this first
blast sounded throughout the valleys
in laundering tones, and the rocks
torn from their solid beds and crushed
into thousands of pieces. and thrown
into the surrounding hills, this was
the first good shaking up that Har-
per's Ferry has had since the cannon
doomed from yonder mountain. The
citizens, old and young. in amaze
ment crowded to the hill tops, and
took a birds eye view of what hand
and muscle were doing in the rocky
bed of the Shenandoah. They mag
ined almost that they could see the
massive buildings growing out of the
solid rock. The shrill whistle of the
derrick engines, the ringing of the
steel drills, the "gee up' of the cart
drivers, told that the dead old town
now was on the verge of an everlast-
ing boom. The little bull frog, who
has been asleep at the bottom of the
hill for the last twenty-five years,
opened his eyes and climbed to con-
spicuous point and with most aston
ishing yell, said "glory hallelujah, "
and the little snakes with lightning
rapidity jumped from their old homes
and swan the river toward old Fir-
GIMME" shores for more suitable
quarters, while the &c tinny" tribe of
the streams commenced to roll away
the stones to make room for the water
wheels of prosperity.
Like most of our citizens / have
paid particular interest as to the pro-
gress of this work, for knew it
would be "big" thing of beauty
and a joy forever, for our little town.
These capitalists who purchased this
property, and have made extensive
preparations for the erection of their
factories. undoubtedly will be the
means of making our town thriving
business place, and bring it out of
the rut in which it has been for the
last quarter of a century, deserve the
hearty praise and good will of every
true citizen of the community, and it
should be the duty of~cvcry citizen to
lend a willing hand to encourage this
enterprise in our midst. But there
are some few who always make it a
point to put their foot on any enter
prise that will abundantly benefit the
people. Every obstacle, and con-
ceivahle trick that could be thought
of has been thrown in the way so as
to prevent this work going on as 1t
should, by parties who are no more
use to this town than the fifth wheel
is to wagon. Such citiZens-if they
can be called as such-would not be
missed from our community. 1t is a
shame that our people should tolerate
such practice.
At last the work has been stopped,
but it is to be hoped only for few
days, and that all future efforts made
to interfere with the progress of this
work will receive the same fate as
heretofore. PROSPERITY.